


marriage of convenience

by Elvent



Series: marriage of convenience [1]
Category: Shiki (Anime & Manga), Shiki - Ono Fuyumi
Genre: Alternate Universe, Conspiracy, Established Relationship, Future Kid Fic, M/M, Marriage of Convenience, Toshio didn't marry Kyouko but Seishin instead, not decidedly mpreg but I didn't decide, where gay couples could have kids
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-12
Updated: 2019-06-12
Packaged: 2020-05-01 21:54:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,446
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19186159
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Elvent/pseuds/Elvent
Summary: It was on a balmy Thursday, May 10th that they decided to apply for a marriage to the Mizobe town hall.





	marriage of convenience

Seishin was many things, but high among the list was the fact that he was a romantic idealist. It wasn’t the most fruitful, wise, or even comfortable stance in life but it was how he navigated life. He often saw the world through rose-tinted – or rainbow colored? – glasses, but while he was often disappointed by how glum the world turned out to be he still put out hope and expectation each time. On many topics, he could be pretty undeterred.

If he was asked about his ideal love life he certainly would include specific wants. You could say that he’d wondered a lot on that front. What kind of man he was attracted to and the kind of man he wished to spend the rest of his life with; the kind of home he wanted to build, the children he wanted to have, and so on. His ideal location of their future house, which of them would take whose surname. Most importantly, a genuine relationship founded on genuine love.

He didn’t realize that he would be the one ruining those ideals, however.

The town hall clerk had put on a very cordial smile ever since they arrived. She peered at the contents of one transparent folder, noting the copy of one family register before returning again to the marriage registration form. “Yes, this is everything.”

Toshio grinned widely as if he was carrying out a good, elaborate prank. He came to the town hall clad in a faded green T-shirt and jeans that were ripped at the knees, but it was unfair how he still looked pretty good in Seishin’s eyes. He felt immense doubt ran through him probably for the hundredth time since he agreed to this decision, but there was no turning back now. Sighing silently, he surrendered to his fate.

It was on a balmy Thursday, May 10th that they decided to apply for a marriage to the Mizobe town hall. They picked that date because Golden Week had already passed by then, so both of them finally had some free time to take the trip to Mizobe. Business hours in the town hall were finally fully open as well. In conclusion, it was a thoroughly technical decision.

The clerk gave them a deep bow. “Very well, please wait while we update your registry.” 

Toshio tugged at Seishin to find a corner to talk and smoke, to which Seishin acquiesced. They still had some technical matters that needed to be fleshed out, what with their decision to marry a rather quick one.

When the topic of a wedding came up, Toshio explained: “You could expect it coming anytime soon, already having my dad’s full permission and all that.” It was one of the reasons why Toshio dared to go through the marriage route. He was a born-again rebel, but he still didn’t like to cause himself too many undue problems. Seishin still couldn’t believe that there even came a point where Ozaki Junichi would consent to this whole situation, that he was made one of their marriage witnesses to make everything formalized. Toshio leaned back at one wall and made a gesture as if to wave something off, though it looked more like batting away at a bug. “But it’s for later, no need to worry for now.”

Their marriage (a plan to marry still, at this time being) was only known to a few select people, but Toshio made sure they had full support from these figures. It involved some agreements just to make sure people couldn’t back off. To Seishin it was some form of blackmail at worst, hideous contract at best. 

He still cringed when he imagined the shock of the rest of villagers however, by the time they found out. A marriage without a wedding beforehand was an intense gossip material in and of itself, not to mention that a marriage between a Muroi and an Ozaki would probably be closer to a taboo subject in their village. It had simply never been done. One could think that with the way the village was built, these were the only households in the village not meant to mingle.

With households of their caliber, any and each marriage was beyond an individual matter. If it wasn’t done properly it could easily jeopardize the village’s stability. Therefore, what they were intending to do was also asking for a disaster.

“If they have problems with it then no can do anyway, we’re already married and not divorcing anytime soon.” Toshio laughed through a puff of smoke.

“That’s your grand plan, isn’t it?”

Toshio shrugged, playful smirk plastered on his face. It was a look that both exasperated and appealed to him. “Our families will have no choice but to arrange a wedding once the marriage was made known. Less work for us that way.”

Seishin peered at his childhood friend, his husband-to-be, “Won’t it be a hassle to you personally?”

“I don’t really care about weddings but why not, it’ll save me words. Giving those people the time to gossip and make ruckus if they want.” Toshio killed the cigarette butt on the ashtray near them. “And you’d like the wedding, right? So, a win-win scenario either way. I know you love me enough to kiss me on the altar. Or I suppose since we’re Buddhists it’ll be three swallows from three cups of sake.”

Seishin nearly coughed out of embarrassment. He wanted to pinch the imprudent man. “But what about your mother?”

“Eh,” Toshio rubbed at the spot where Seishin elbowed him. “no one cares about my mom, so you shouldn’t too. Old man’d take care of her.”

Seishin gazed at his longtime friend’s face and contemplated. Of Toshio’s parents, of his ill father who even came to him. He wondered about his own mother’s silent consent, as if she had seen what would come from a mile away, but probably a silent contempt all the same. Of his own father’s condition for their marriage, and Toshio’s own agreement with his father that Seishin only knew a little about. The world seemed to shift before their eyes and he couldn’t imagine where it would take them.

“I can’t wait to see how she’d handle you becoming her son and living with her.”

Seishin sighed. He really wasn’t looking forward to that… “Are you going to break the news to her so soon?”

Toshio leaned to him. “No, but she’ll bring up some matter soon. What can I do except to just let the truth unfold?”

They returned just in time for the clerk to congratulate them on the successful update in their registry. There was little to do after that, except for Seishin to notify the town hall where he wanted his new registry to be posted as the new family head and pay the fee after that. The clerk later presented them with a marriage certification, and the whole process was done.

Toshio looked at the paper and whistled. “I’m now a Muroi huh? Look at that.”

Seishin carefully slipped it into another folder they brought. The apprehension in his heart stayed but together with it a feeling of wonder grew.

It was one of Shinmei’s many conditions to them; that Toshio took the Muroi name because the temple couldn’t bear to lose its heir. There hadn’t been a system in Japan where two people could marry and not be kin, to not share a surname. The temple was crucial – even more so than the hospital so to say. This was one topic Shinmei would absolutely not budge about. However,

It would certainly mean that the hospital would lose its heir, even though there would be little change in technical operations. Toshio would still work there, but he understood why it wouldn’t be the same because he was no longer entitled to the Ozaki. His primary duties would no longer be toward the Ozaki. After he completed the process to change his name in any legal matters, it would be as if he were a mere employee in his own hospital. It would no longer be his right. 

Toshio perhaps noticed the somewhat gloomy look in his face, because he nudged at him. “Hey, what are you unhappy about?”

There was a little bit of pained smile. “You doing this… are you really sure?”

Toshio slipped his hands into his jeans’ pockets. “’S kinda late to turn back y’know?” He continued, but there was some mirth in the eyes. “Getting married was my idea. One of us will have to change our name, and I know for sure you wouldn’t. Or shouldn’t, for that matter. And you’re still worrying about that?”

It didn’t really come to him until he saw the physical proof in his eyes, he supposed. He might not really care about inheritance himself, if he were talking about his own that was – but it might not apply to other people. He understood how the system operated, how Toshio’s situation was alike to loss and separation. “You’re losing your birthrights.”

“Do you want to enter my registry instead? There’s nothing good about Ozaki.”

Seishin cringed when Toshio put it like that, even if he was aware of the animosity his childhood friend held toward his own family. A family that had become a part of his own family, nonetheless. “I don’t think that’s all true.”

Toshio made a face at Seishin, to which Seishin swatted back. Even if family wasn’t good, there was no denying that it was family. He knew very well how familial bonds weren’t easily dissolved.

“Sure, there’s some loss.” Toshio shrugged. “Can’t say there isn’t, but I have an agreement and the deal is pretty good. The final calculation is good on my end. That’s what this world is all about.”

Seishin wondered if it was that simple. “What would you get from giving your family two heirs?”

Toshio didn’t look like he was surprised. “Oh, you know?”

Seishin had disagreement clearly written on his face. Of course he knew, because Toshio’s father had come to him to make sure there weren’t any misunderstanding with future technical operations. It hadn’t been a very enjoyable meeting. 

He wouldn’t have any problem if any of their future children was willing to be adopted into Ozaki family, but he strongly disagreed to see them being traded like a property. It was a hideous practice that should’ve had stopped by now, and forcing one’s children into inheriting family legacy should’ve had ended with them. 

(But no matter how ugly the situation was, Seishin clearly knew it wasn’t easy to fix.)

“Two for the price of you entering my family, because the Muroi now gained two. – Toshio, what is that?”

Toshio lighted another cigarette. “Old man is ill and wants grandkids. He may be on his deathbed anytime soon.”

“That also contradicts your earlier point.”

Toshio gave him a lopsided smirk, but his real feelings were masked well from his face. “It’s part of the deal. Besides, who’s to say we’re guaranteed to have children in the future? They could be born, they could also not.”

Seishin wondered what else Toshio and his father had agreed on. Two heirs as a price for a marriage and a right to still have the director’s position in the hospital seemed overkill to him, but there were details unknown to him. Elder Ozaki had been somewhat furious at first – understandably, but he mellowed down quickly. Toshio was fortunate to not be disowned, and he and his father were able to resolve their disagreement without involving madam Ozaki. It told him there was more than what met the eye. 

He wasn’t sure if Toshio would’ve liked that kind of deal, or if he was pushed to the situation where he needed to make that deal. If he was the one cornered or the one blackmailing. He didn’t know if Toshio intended to find a way to break off the agreement, or if he’d become even more ruthless at keeping his part of the deal.

“Anyway, let’s go.” Toshio called to him, cigarette chewed between his teeth. “It’ll go well. If you wanna argue, we can do it back home.”

Seishin conceded his point. “But not in front of people?”

“Heck no, we should look all lovey-dovey. Let’s buy the wedding rings first. Make sure to wear it and flaunt it to them.”

Seishin let out a mirthless chuckle. “There’s simply nothing romantic about this.”

“I mean, who did you marry?” Toshio pointed at Seishin, then at himself. He then said teasingly, “You can have a lover on the side, but don’t do it in front of me please. I’ll get jealous.”

Seishin glared. “Toshio.”

“I warned you already. Don’t blame me if you’re unfulfilled.” 

Right after they formalized their marriage and he kind of wanted to have shouting match already. There was nothing to be done about it; they possessed values that were as different as sky and earth. Toshio had no faith in the marriage institution but still he utilized it for his own means. He had no inborn understanding of fidelity and loyalty, something Seishin wanted to strive for even if it meant killing himself in the process. Despite the grounds their marriage was founded on, telling one’s own spouse to cheat was cruel.

There was simply nothing pure about this, Seishin mused. Their marriage was built on agreements and contracts with other people, but even among themselves there was as little genuineness involved. They selfishly wished to get something out of this union, and from each other. The most disingenuous contract was in fact between the two of them, where they guaranteed each other’s loyalty and support under a conspiracy. 

This was what Seishin’s idealism would call a farce. This was something that looked smooth on the outside, but everything was in fact scripted and fabricated. There was a reason why they did everything in this very moment, why they had to sneak out and legalize their marriage before any supposed wedding could take place. Why they secured their positions even when they made themselves looked like two lovebirds impatient in love. How they decided Toshio was the one to change surname, and any gains and loss that followed. How many children they ideally had to have in order to secure their positions further. How there were many secrets and hidden conspiracy that they kept from one another, but would deliberately turn a blind eye to upon being known. 

Years later, down the road he wondered what he would think if he recalled this day, if everything would be worth it in the end. Or if the punishment would be severe.


End file.
